Stroke-regulator.



Patehte d lune l0, I902.

a. H. YALE. STROKE REGULATOR.

(Application filed Aug. 88, 1901.)

(No Model.)

Wihwaiow UNITED STATES] PATENT OFFICE.-\

RODNEY H. YALE, OF BEATRICE, NEBRASKA.

STROKE-REG u LATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,983, datedJune' 0, 1902- :;Application filed August 23, 1901. Serial No. 73,072; tNo model.)

in the county ofGage and State of Nebraska,

have invented new and useful Improvements in Stroke-Regulators, of which the following is a specification. g

My invention relates toimprovements in apparatus for varying andregulating thelength of stroke of a reciprocatingrod, arm, or implement, and thereby regulating the amount of work done per stroke.

Said improvementsrelate more specifically to that class of stroke-regulators in which a casing containing within ita body of liquid is interposed between two sections of a severed piston-rod or-other reciprocating rod,

said casing being so constructed and arranged.

that said body of liquid shall receive the impact of the force applied by the power-section of the rod and also the stress resulting from the Work being done by the working section of the rod, so that, in other words, such body of liquid oraportion of it shall form a cushion or. abutmentbetween the power and the work, provisionalso beingmade for increasing or diminishing the quantity of such liquid under pressure and'the longitudinal space occupied thereby in the casing according to the speed of the motor, so that the sections of the rod shall bekept at a greater or less distance apart, thus decreasing or increasing automatically the length of the rod considered as a whole and the amount of work performed. v

My present improvements relate especially to collapsible casings'for holding the liquid and improved'means for passing the liquid or a portion thereof from the section or part of the casing where it is under pressure toa section or compartment in which it is free from pressure and'returning it again.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is an elevation, partly in vertical section, of a form of my devicedesigned mainly for connecting to a windmill and pump, the drawing showing the connections *for the actuating-rod leading up to the windmill and also for the pump-rod. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modified form of my device, showing a diiferent means of collapsing the casing. Fig.

3'is a vertical section of the regulating valve device used on each form of the stroke-regulator when deemed desirable. Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross-section through said valve device on the line IV IV ofFig. 3; 1

Referring to Fig'. 1', 1 indicates a closed casing made of some collapsible material'in bellows form and attached at the top to a horizontal plate 2, carried" by a frame 3 on the upper end of a rod 4, leading down to the pump. The bottom of said casing. 1 is attached to a plate 5 on the lower end of a frame 6, secured to the connection 7 of the actuating-rod leading up to the windmill. 8 also indicates a casing or compartment which may be regarded as an extension or section of casing 1, made of similar material in bellows attached to the upper bar of the frame 6.

Compartment 1 is separated from compartment 8 by the plate 2; but intercommunication betweenthe same is provided for by a central opening in plate 2, in which opening is plaoedthevalve device 10. (Shown on a larger scale in Figs; 3 and 4.) The vertical side bars of'frame 3pass through slots or openings in the lower horizontal bar of frame 6 for the purpose of-keeping said frames and their connected rods 4 7 in alinement. Stops 11 limit thelongitudinal movement of the two rod-terminals toward each other. 1, indicates a cushion-spring, 13 a plate supporting said spring and'serving as a guidefonfthe pump-rod, and 14. is a part of the windfr'nilltower supporting plate 13.

erably some variety of oil. I

I Fig.2 shows a modified form of the device, which is of substantially the same construc- Compartments 1 and 8 are at all times filled with liquid, preftion as shown in Fig. 1, except that themain 4 casing or pressure-chamber is composed of two tubular sections 15 16, which telescope into each other, section 16 passing inside of section 15 when the casing collapses, as hereinafter described. An extension or section 17 is also provided, rigidly connected 'with' section 16 of the main casing and communieating with the same by a passage-way controlled by a valve 10.; (Also shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 4.) Sections 15 16 of this form of the casing are at all times filled with liquid, also section 17 to a point abovetheevalve 10 or about the level of the line A A in Fig. 2. A vent-hole 18 is provided in the upper end of section 17 to permit the liquid to rise and fall freely therein. Suitable packing 19 is provided at the joint where the sections 15 16 telescope into each other.

In Figs. 3 and 4, illustrating the details of the regulating-valve 10, 20 designates the tubular body or barrel of the valve; 21, an exteriorly-threaded outer cylinder connected to the body 20 by ribs 22, with free openings 23 between said parts at other points for the passage of liquid. 24: is the central opening through the body 20, and 25 a circular valveseat therein; 26, the regulating-valve, having a head adapted to engage said valve-seat and a tapering stem extending through said seat and bearing against a spring 27, which normally holds valve 26 open or away from valveseat 25. 28 designates a threaded cap for adjusting the tension of spring 27; 29, a circular valve engaging a seat on the parts 20 21 to close oropen the ports 23; 30, a spring tending to hold valve 29 closed, and 31 lateral passages through the barrel 20 for permitting the liquid to pass into and out of the central passage-way 24:.

In operation, referring again to Fig. 1, it will be seen that if the windmill-rod starts on its upward stroke the power will be transmit ted through frame 6 to the bottom of easing 1 and likewise through the liquid in its lower compartment to the plate 2, forming the top of said compartment, and through the side bars of frame 3 to the pump connection 4. If the upward stroke is made quickly, the pressure on the liquid in compartment 1 will cause valve 26 to close firmly against its seat 25, and as none of the liquid can pass the valve the pump-rod at will be carried upward the full length of the upward stroke of the windmill-crank. In fact, under such conditions the resulting stroke will be of the same length as it would be if the windmill connection 7 and pump-rod t were rigidly connected together. In the following or downward stroke under the same conditions the frame 0 will press against the stops 11 on frame 3 and carry the pump-rod 4 down to its lowest limit orstarting-point. If, on the other hand, the upward movement of the windmill-rod is a slow one, the powerwill be applied to the liquid in compartment 1 in the same manner as in the previous instance; but valve 26 instead of being forced to its seat, as in the former case, will remain open or partially open, so that the liquid in compartment 1, or a good portion of it, if the speed is quite slow, will pass under valve 26 into compartment 8, expanding the part of the casing inclosing said compartment to the same extent that compartment 1 is collapsed, and in this case it will be seen that the movement of pump-rod a is as much less than the movement of the windmill connection 7 as the length of compartment 1 is diminished by collapsing. The length of stroke of the pump-rod 4 therefore depends upon the extent to which valve 26 closes during the upward stroke and the qu a11- tity of liquid permitted to pass the valve during the stroke, or, in other words, upon the speed of the windmill-rod. During the downward stroke following the slow upward stroke just described the frame 6 presses against plate 9, compressing compartment 8, and draws on the casing 1, extending the latter again to its condition at the beginning of the upward stroke, the liquid previously driven into compartment 8 passing back into compartment 1 through the now open valve and the pump-rod moving down to first position. Also during the downward stroke under consideration the large valve 29 opens freely, allowing the liquid above it to pass downward to its normal position through passages 23.

The operation of the form of the device shown in Fig. 2 is substantially the same as that shown in Fig. 1, except that the collapse of that portion of the casing in which the liquid is under pressure (sections 15 1G) is effected by section 16 telescoping into section 15 instead of employing the bellows form of construction, as in Fig. 1. The result, however, is the same in both casesthat is, to permit the length of the pressure-chamber or compartment to be varied automatically, thus varying the distance apart of the crank connection 7 and the pump connection 4" in other words, varying the length of the stroke of the piston-rod considered as a whole according to the speed of the motor. The relief chamber or compartment 17 in Fig. 2 corresponds to compartment 8 in Fig. 1, the latter being capable of expansion and contraction, owing to the bellows form of construction, while the former is rigid, but has sufficient capacity to accommodate the liquid which passes through the valve.

The operation of the apparatus is materially affected by the adjustment of valve 10. If the stress of the spring 27 is strong, considerable pressure will be necessary to wholly close the valve, and the tendency will be to diminish the amount of work done, whereas if said spring is weak in its action the valve will close easily and the average of work performed will be increased.

The regulator herein described may be located at any preferred point in the connection between the motor and the machine or device to be operated, either at an intermediate point of the rod, as shown in the drawings, or at either extremity of it in immediate juxtaposition with the motor or with the device operated, the only essential condition being that the regulator shall be interposed in and form a part of the operative connection between the power and the work.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a reciprocating rod for communicating power from a prime mover to a machine to be 0perated,of a stroke-- regulator adapted to be interposed between IIO two sections of said rod, the same compris ing a casing and a body of liquid therein, said body of liquid forming a cushion or abutment between the rod-terminals, and said casing being capable of collapse and expansion, to'

reduce or increase longitudinally the space occupied by said liquid and the distance bea passage-way, said pressure-chamber being held between the oppositely-extending rod terminals, and being capable of collapse and expansion, to vary the longitudinal distance between said terminals, a body of liquid within said chambers, and means for controlling the capacity of said passage-way, substantially as set forth. v p

3. In a stroke-regulator, the combination of the rod divided into two sections, the frames forming the terminals of said rod-sections,

the casing carried by said frames, a pressurechamber within said casing, a body of liquid within said chamber, forming an abutment between the power and the work, a reliefchamber, a valve-controlled passage-way between said chambers, and means for collapsing and expanding the pressure-chamber, to vary the length thereof and the longitudinal distance between said rod-sections, substantially as set forth.

4. In a stroke-regulator, the combination of the two sections of the rod, the casing having a pressure chamber and a relief chamber therein, said pressure-chamber being held between the oppositely-extending rod-termi nals, and being capable of collapse and expansion, to vary the longitudinal distancebetween said terminals, a. body of liquid within said chambers, a passage-Way connecting said chambers, and a valve controlling said passage-way adapted to close and prevent the in presence of two witnesses.

liquid from passing out ofthe pressure-cham-i' her when the pressure is strong, andto re-v main open and permit the liquid to pass into I the relief-chamberwhen the pressure is weak,

substantially as set forth. I

, 5. In a stroke-regulator of the character described, the combination of the casing having two chambers with a body of liquid therein, one of said chambersbeingcollapsible and held between the rod-terminals, so'as to form a variable abutmentbetween the power and the work, a passage-way between said chambers, a valve'controlling said passage-way, and means for retarding the-movementof saidjvalve when pressure is applied thereto by said liquid, substantially as set, forth.

6. Ina stroke-regulator, the combination of the two sections of the rod, the casing, the collapsible pressure-chamber therein, the reliefchamber, the body of liquid within said chambers, the valvecontrolled passage way'between said chambers, the terminal frame connected to 'the power-section of the rod and supporting the casing, and the terminal frame connected to the workingsection of the rod and carrying the partition and valve. interposed between said charnbers, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination witha source of power and a reciprocating rod actuated thereby of a stroke-regulator attached to and forming, with said rod, a connection between such power and the device tobe operated, said regulator comprising a casing and a body of liquid' therein, oppositely 'extending' terminals connected with the'power and the work respectively, said body of liquid forming a cushion orabutment between said terminals, and

said casing being capable of collapse and ex pansion, to reduce or increase longitudinally the space occupied by said liquid and the distance between said terminals,substantially as set forth.

In testimony. whereof I affix I my signature RODNEY H. .YALE. Witnesses: i

WILLIAM Z. .WARNER, ALBERT W. KING. 

